Oil filters find widespread use in a variety of applications and are typically employed in lubricating systems. For example, in automobile engines, the lubricant (i.e., oil) utilized to lubricate reciprocating engine parts is continuously circulated through a closed-loop path. Oil under circulation and leaving the engine is passed through an oil filter to remove any dirt or contamination therefrom so as to clean the oil prior to returning to the engine. Oil filters are typically comprised of a housing having input and output openings which are respectively coupled between the output and input openings of the lubricating conduits provided in the engine. Such filter means are typically comprised of a cylindrical perforated metallic core inserted within the central opening of a filter element typically having a closed-loop accordion-pleated configuration and being formed of a material having sufficient porosity to permit the passage of oil therethrough while capturing contaminants. A pair of flat, thin disc-shaped end caps are secured to the opposite ends of the filter core which assembly is then inserted into an open-ended housing which typically threadedly engages a mating coupling provided along the engine housing for mounting thereof.
Such filter assemblies are relatively inexpensive.
To date, the insertion of the metallic core into the filter element is performed by a manual operation. With the mounting costs of labor it is thereby extremely desirable to provide a capability of automating the filter assembly steps.